In 2023, David Byrne brought the triumphant American Utopia era to a close. What began as an album and accompanying tour evolved into a critically acclaimed Broadway production and later an HBO film directed by Spike Lee. Once the project had wrapped up, Byrne returned to collecting the chords, melodies and musical ideas that came to him. Over time, these early sketches gradually took shape, often beginning on an acoustic guitar and paired with programmed loops and rhythms. And as the world - along with the Broadway run of American Utopia - was forced to pause, Byrne found himself asking the same question as much of humanity:
Do I actually enjoy what I do? Why do I write songs? Why do I do this work, or any work at all? Does any of it really have meaning?
Byrne's attempts to grapple with these weighty questions can be heard throughout Who Is The Sky?, his new album and first collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Kid Harpoon (Tom Hull, known for his work with Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus) and New York's chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. The record also features an impressive lineup of guest artists, including Hayley Williams of Paramore, longtime collaborator St. Vincent - who, as Byrne jokes, "only lives a block away from the studio" - and Tom Skinner, drummer of The Smile.
The album builds on the optimistic themes of American Utopia and extends the ideas explored in the Grammy Award-winning Broadway production and its film adaptation. With Who Is The Sky?, Byrne continues his lifelong exploration of human connection and the possibility of collective unity, all set against the backdrop of an increasingly chaotic world. At once cinematic, witty and full of joy, the album also offers a number of lessons along the way: that love often defies explanation, that enlightenment means something different to everyone, and that staying hydrated is almost always a good idea - whether or not you wake up with baby-soft skin the next day.
Yet perhaps the album's defining quality is Byrne's continued ability to balance the experimental with the accessible, effortlessly moving between avant-garde ideas and irresistibly catchy pop. The inspiration to collaborate with Ghost Train Orchestra came from the ensemble's 2023 tribute album dedicated to the blind New York composer and street poet Moondog. Later that year, Byrne joined the group on stage during a performance in Brooklyn, where he became captivated by their richly layered sound. With its 15-member lineup featuring drums, percussion, guitar and bass alongside strings, woodwinds and brass, Ghost Train Orchestra offered exactly the kind of expansive musical palette Byrne was looking for. "What if my new songs sounded like this?" he wondered. He soon asked the ensemble if they would be interested in serving as the backing band for Who Is The Sky? - and they were quick to say yes.
This inspired collaboration is at the heart of Who Is The Sky?, an album whose effortless diversity is both uplifting and thought-provoking, inviting listeners to reflect on life's smallest moments and biggest questions alike. Now, David Byrne is bringing that journey to Budapest. On 18 June, audiences at the Budapest Arena will have the chance to experience the songs of Who Is The Sky? live, as one of contemporary music's most distinctive voices returns to the Hungarian capital after 17 years.
Details here.
(Borítókép: David Byrne Fb-oldala)
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